TANDEM Cat® Evaluation

A Clinical First Step for Cats in Need of a Safe and Informative Starting Point

Not every cat needs a haircut.
Some need to be understood first.

The TANDEM Cat® Evaluation is our comprehensive, trauma-informed intake for cats experiencing behavioral shutdown, pain masking, coat neglect, or medical complexity. It’s designed for cases where traditional grooming or standard care simply isn’t appropriate—or has already failed.

This is more than an evaluation. It’s an invitation back into safety. A full written report is provided.

Who This Is For

The TANDEM Evaluation is the right starting place if your cat is:

Matted or pelted with medical complexity

Hiding, hissing, freezing, or shutting down during handling

Elderly or chronically ill, with limited mobility or fragile skin

Recovering from illness, surgery, cone use, or dental treatment

Exhibiting pain signs

Example: (flinching, limping, aggression)

A past grooming rejection or vet sedation risk

New to care after months—or years—without care

If you’ve been told “they need sedation,” or you’re worried “they can’t be groomed,” start here.

60 minutes

Conducted at one of our clinical grooming suites

$199

Each TANDEM Evaluation includes

Somatic Mapping: We assess tension, shutdown zones, bracing patterns, and coat trauma
Trauma-Informed Handling: Your cat sets the pace—no forced contact
Behavioral and Physical Notes: across systems (mobility, coat health, reactivity)
Photo Documentation: For both clinical reference and progression tracking (as tolerated)
Plan of Care: We identify next steps—whether grooming, boarding, medical referral, or a Total Reset

You’ll leave with insight, not just options. Even if we don’t groom your cat that day, we will know more—and so will you.

What the Evaluation Includes

What Makes This Different

We don’t separate behavior from health

Behavioral shutdown is often physical. Coat neglect can be medical. We connect the dots others miss.

We don’t force through fear

Your cat’s emotional threshold guides the session. We never push past what their nervous system can hold.

We specialize in edge cases

This is our zone: 4/6 heart murmurs, pelted geriatrics, claw infections, post-shutdown cats. We work here every day.

Before You Book

We recommend the Evaluation as the first step unless

You’re a returning TANDEM client with an established
care plan

You’re booking a straightforward service for a stable cat (e.g. claw trim, Soft Paws® reapplication)

If you’re unsure, start with the Evaluation—it’s safe.

Shutdown Cats

A shutdown cat is one whose nervous system has entered a freeze or collapse state in response to chronic stress, fear, pain, or overwhelming stimuli. This is not calmness—it’s dorsal vagal override, where the body “checks out” for survival.

Behavioral Signs

Frozen posture (still, unmoving, stiff)

Unblinking stare or fixed gaze

Lack of response to voice or touch

No grooming or licking (often weeks or months of coat neglect)

Silent compliance—not tolerance, but dissociation

Limp, floppy, or overly still body

Absence of resistance, which is often mistaken for docility

Clinical Insight

Shutdown is a nervous system emergency, not a behavior problem. These cats are often deeply misunderstood or traumatized and require trauma-informed handling, slow reawakening, and somatic recovery interventions.

Post-Shutdown Cats

A post-shutdown cat is one who has recently emerged from a freeze state or shutdown episode but still carries the physical, emotional, or behavioral imprints of that collapse.

Behavioral Signs

Hypervigilance or flinching

Jerky, uncertain movement

Avoidance of touch or sudden aggression

Asymmetrical posture or bracing

Partial grooming resumption (but often incomplete)

Tentative eating, hiding, or sleeping in awkward positions

Emotional lability—swinging between collapsed and reactive states

Clinical Insight

Post-shutdown cats are in nervous system reentry. They are delicate, often volatile, and prone to regression if overhandled or misunderstood. Care during this phase should focus on predictability, co-regulation, and proprioceptive reintegration.

What Guardians Say

“My vet said sedation was the only option. TANDEM removed a full-body pelt while my cat purred in their arms.”

“This was so much more than grooming. This was recovery in real time.”

Ready to Book?

We currently offer TANDEM Cat® Evaluations at Powell and Beaverton clinical locations.
Use the the Book Now above or contact our team for the best-fit location based on your cat’s profile.

Because care shouldn’t begin with guessing. It should begin with understanding.
The TANDEM Cat® Evaluation is where we start.